Target: Representative K. Michael Conway, Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, and Senator Pat Roberts, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Goal: Applaud 2018 farm bill which maintains strong conservation programs, funds organic research and doesn’t cut food stamps.
Congress passed a $867 billion farm bill with strong bipartisan support. The farm bill governs all aspects of food and agriculture in the United States. It provides for conservation programs that include protections for air, water and land. It also provides for nutrition assistance programs, governs trade and research, and makes determinations about the future use of bioenergy. The previous farm bill was allowed to expire in September 2018 amid fierce negotiations. Following push-back from voters, such as this ForceChange petition, Congress worked together to fund a new farm bill. President Trump is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming days.
Some highlights of the new 2018 farm bill include:
- appropriate funding to food stamps program;
- no work requirements for older participants of the food stamps program;
- revisions made to the administration of the SNAP program did not reduce individual benefits;
- expanded farm subsidies were made available to the families of farmers;
- funding for farmer’s markets and local food programs was made permanent;
- research funds for organic farming were set aside;
- organizations that train the next generation of farmers were provided with permanent funding;
- veteran and minority farmers were provided with permanent funding;
- hemp became federally legal; and
- the conservation programs remain untouched.
All of this was accomplished with no change to the federal deficit. Sign this petition to applaud Representative Conway and Senator Roberts on their success on the 2018 farm bill.
PETITION LETTER:
Representative Conway and Senator Roberts,
Thank you for your efforts toward finalizing and funding a new farm bill. Without a strong farm bill, we risked the future of clean water, healthy soils, improved wildlife habitats, increased outdoor recreation opportunities, and strong rural economies. With the new bill we feel sure that our natural resources are being appropriately protected; our agricultural industries are being supported; the future of organic farming is looking bright; and our nutritional programs will sustain us.
We applaud the bipartisan work done to refund the farm bill.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Dwight Burdette
343 Signatures